Controllable drive means for accumulator stranding apparatus



July 15, 1969 CONTROLLABLE DRIVE MEANS FOR ACCUMULATOR STRANDING APPARATUS w. KLEBL ETAL 3,455,098

FIGS

m I w l I v ml N u- INVENTORS WOLFRAM KLEBL HERBERT KUBIAK HARRY STASCHEWSKI FRIEDRICH SCHATZ ATTORNEY United States Patent ()1 lice 3,455,098 Patented July 15, 1969 US. Cl. 5759 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for stranding electrical conductors or rope, including high precision means for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

Background of the invention Stranding machines are known in the art which draw material to be stranded from supplies thereof, lead the same into an accumulator device arranged for rotation and then drawn oif from the accumulator and Wound on a takeup reel or the like, as typically shown in Patent No. 3,169,360.

Such accumulator device comprises essentially a frame or cage arranged for rotation about its longitudinal axis and carries a pair of drums rotatably mounted therein with their axes in parallel relation. The material to be stranded passes over the drums in pulley-like fashion and the machine is adapted to operate in a predetermined pattern including rotation and non-rotation for given time intervals and reversal of operation at given time intervals; thereby effecting a change in lay of the strands at given points in the length of the stranded product.

As shown in Patent 3,169,360, the control means regu lating the operation of the accumulator device comprises means for counting the revolutions of one of the drums which is suitably related to brake means, switches and reversing switches. However, such known control means is not as uniform in its operation, as desired; apparently because of slippage of the stranded material and variations in the thickness thereof. Furthermore, such known control means is limited to particular forms of accumulator devices.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved control means for accumulator stranding apparatus which allows for precision control of the drive means therefor in terms of periodic rotation, non-rotation and reversal of the direction of rotation.

Another object of this invention is to provide control means of the character described which may be associated with diverse forms of accumulator stranding apparatus.

Still another object of this invention is to provide improved control means of the character described, which is responsive only to the length of stranded product and includes means for measuring such length with a high degree of precision to thereby provide control means of very high accuracy.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

Summary of the invention The instant invention comprises essentially coding means which is a measure of the length of stranded product output of an accumulator stranding apparatus, which can be arranged to having varying degrees of precision, for controlling the drive means of the apparatus.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an accumulator stranding apparatus and control means embodying the invention, associated therewith;

FIG. 2' is a view showing one form of coding device used with the control means;

FIG. 3 is a view showing another form of coding device used with the control means;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of still another form of coding device associated with belt take-off means;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 and showing amodified form of coding device; and

FIG. 6 is a view showing details of the coding devices as may be used in the showing of FIGS. 4, 5.

Description of the preferred embodiments As shown in FIG. 1, 10 designates an accumulator stranding apparatus in association with control means for regulating the operation thereof and embodying the invention, generally indicated at 11. Apparatus 10 comprises a tubular member 12 mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis on standards 13. Shafts 14, 15 are mounted transversely of member 12 at opposite end portions thereof, and carry sets of wheels 16, 17.

The material to be stranded indicated at 18 is drawn off from spools 19 and pass through a stranding nipple 20 and thence through tubular member 12 to the sets of wheels 16, 17 by way of slot openings in member 12, not shown and entrained about said wheels 16, 17 in a manner known in the art. Finally, the stranded product SP passes. back into tubular member 12 by way of a slot opening, not shown and passes outwardly thereof. The product SP is drawn off by drum 21 which is encircled by one or more turns of said product SP and then passes to a takeup reel 22.

The tubular member 12 is rotated by an electric motOr 23 interconnected by a belt drive 24. The motor 23 is controlled by control means generally indicated at 25 and which is suitably programmed to start, stop and reverse motor 23 at periodic intervals. Control means 25 is responsive to the length of product SP and to this end, code means generally indicated at 26, FIG. 2, or 26A, FIG. 3, is associated with draw-off drum 21.

Thus, code means 26 comprises a circular disc 27 which is affixed to the end surface of drum 21. Disc 27 comprises a series of radially related, annular actuating means of progressively increasing diameter, as indicated at 28, 29 and 30. Thus, annulus 28 comprises outwardly projecting ribs 31 at intervals; annulus 29 comprise projecting ribs 32 at 45 intervals; and annulus 30 comprises ribs 33 at 22.5 intervals. There is thus provided a three-place binary code, wherein the ribs 31, 32, 33 are operative to actuate limit switches, not shown to provide electrical signals for control means 25.

Control means 25 comprises electronic components and circuitry, well known in the art, such as pulse counters and preset comparators for sensing particular counts accumulated in the pulse counters and emitting control signals for controlling motor 23. The control means 25 can be suitably programmed to establish predetermined intervals of operation and non-operation of the motor 23, as well as changing the direction of rotation of said motor at the end of selected time intervals.

It is understood that control means 25 may comprise various combinations of electronic components well known in the art and suitable circuitry to receive input pulses pursuant to the operation of code disc 27, by way of ribs 31, 32 and 33 thereof. Also, said ribs may be scanned optically, in lieu of actuating limit switches; the ribs having optically reflecting surfaces, to operate suitable electro-optic means for providing input pulses, for control means 25.

Code means 26A, shown in FIG. 3, has an arrangement of annular sets of ribs which provide a three-place trinary code, as indicated at 34, 35 and 36.

When using a caterpillar or belt draw-off as at 40, in lieu of drum 21; then one or both of the belts can be provided with digital coding in the form of notches or recesses in the edge portions or surface portions of said belts. As shown in FIG. 4, belt 40 is notched at intervals, as at 41, 42; such notches actuating limit switches 43, FIG. 6. The other side of belt 40 is indicated in FIG. 5, with notches 44, 45, 46 in the edges thereof, at selected intervals, also for operating limit switches. Alternatively, the belt of FIG. 5 may be the belt opposed to the belt of FIG. 4. Such arrangement provides a two-place binary code; and if all four edges of two opposed belts are suitably notched or otherwise provided with means for actuating limit switches or optional scanning equipment; a four-place code is provided for controlling the operation of motor 23 through control means 25.

It will be understood that control for a particular program of operation of apparatus may be provided by using alternative forms of code discs or draw-off belt codes; as well as varying the program of control means 25.

We claim:

1. In combination, accumulator stranding apparatus comprising rotatable accumulator stranding means for stranding a plurality of elongated elements to provide a stranded product, movable means for drawing off said stranded product, reversible motor means for rotating said stranding means, control means for controlling the operation of said motor means, and digital code means of said draw-01f means including means related to increments of length of said stranded product for actuating said control means.

2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said drawoff means comprises a rotatable drum and said code means comprises circular disc means secured to one circular end portion of said drum, said disc means comprising a plurality of concentric assemblies of angularly spaced activating elements, the spacing between adjacent elements in one assembly being different from the spacing between adjacent elements in another assembly.

3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said activating elements in the concentric assemblies are arranged to provide a three place binary code.

4. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said activating elements in the concentric assemblies are arranged to provide a three place trinary code.

5. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said draw-0E means comprises a pair of endless belts having opposed portions for receiving and engaging the stranded product therebetween, and said code means comprises longitudinally spaced means along the length of at least one of said belts for actuating said control means.

6. The combination as in claim 5 wherein said spaced means comprises notches formed in edge portions on at least one side of at least one of said belts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,169,360 2/1965 Corrall et a1. 57-34 3,187,495 6/ 1965 Christian 57-34 3,365,871 1/1968 Schatz et a1. 57-59 3,367,097 2/1968- Menasolf 57-34 3,373,549 3/1968 Shaw 5734 3,373,550 3/1968 Sy-monds 57-34 JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 57-34 

